Their Story's Told
by GeekBastard23
Summary: Tag to 8x12 'Recruited' - McGee's point of view on Ziva and Tony's relationship.


**A/N: Wow, I really didn't intend to write another story so soon. But as I was rewatching 8x12 'Recruited', I couldn't help but notice McGee's attempts to get the truth out of Tony... So, here is my take on the development of Tony and Ziva's relationship from McGee's point of view.**

**This is a One-Shot for now, might expand it a little, if there is any interest...  
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**Obviously, there are spoilers for 8x12 ;-)**

**I hope you guys read, enjoy and review.**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or its characters. Just borrowed them for this story.**_

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_Their Story's Told_  
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Timothy McGee has had enough.

Usually, he is a very patient person, waiting for things to be worked out with time. He is not one who likes to rush things. In fact, he is a person that denies the inevitable as long as he's able to.

But he is fed up by now. He is tired of doing DiNozzo's work. For the last three days, he has constantly covered for him, whenever Gibbs had wanted anything from them. While Tony seems like he is actually working, Tim knows well enough that he isn't – at all.

It is the way that Tony is sitting at his desk, elbows on the table, staring seemingly into thin air. Sure, he has been typing or writing down stuff from time to time but that is barely considered as working.

The long abandoned author in Tim would describe the scenes, that have presented themselves painfully obvious the last couple of days in front of him, as a classic pining DiNozzo. He has rarely seen him like that but Tim is certain that Tony's sulking.

As obvious as his sulking is, as obvious is the reason for it. The way Tony keeps on stealing glances towards Ziva's still empty desk for days now, is slowly driving Tim crazy.

So, now he's sitting there, once again staring at Tony, whose mind seems to be occupied with the things he surely imagines Ziva to be doing right at the moment. And as Tim is feeling pretty confident for once about his capability to annoy his senior field agent, he decides to just plunge into the not-so-unknown of Tony's thoughts.

"Soooo," he starts, dragging the word, causing Tony to jump slightly. "Where is she?"

"Who?"

The returning question comes a bit too quick.

"Tony, Ziva's been gone since Thursday."

"Huh," Tony tries to play it innocent, throwing a glance at Ziva's desk in an attempt of appearing surprised.

"Ziva. Gosh, I hadn't noticed."

Tim snorts, rolling his eyes. Obviously, Tony can't even pretend to not care about it all anymore.

"You are lying," Tim proposes now, eagerly waiting for Tony to take his well-planned bait.

"McGoo."

Ah, here comes the McNickname that is supposed to shut him up - but not this time.

"I have better things to do than to obsess over the whereabouts of our Little-Miss-Fancy-Pants Ziva here."

_Yeah, right._

"Yeah, like what?"

"Well, for instance there is lunch. Today I'm thinking falafel."

Tim nods, trying to keep the smirk that is building on his face from showing. Right. Falafel, which is just coincidently the Israeli national dish _of course_.

Sometimes McGee can't help but wonder if Tony is actually thinking that he is that dumb, that unobservant when it comes to him and Ziva.

"Tony."

It is as simple as his name that makes Tony snap out of his pretending. It's only that little nudge that makes him cave now, almost spilling his thoughts out to Tim.

"Alright!" He nearly cries out now, "she spent the weekend with him."

"Him, who?" Tim asks innocently.

Oh, yeah, he will make him confess it. _Now_.

"The savorer of South Beach, the king of Key West, the man with the… Mr… I'm running out of things to call him. She won't even tell us his name."

Tim nods again, faking understanding and is just about to press the matter further as an elderly looking man approaches the two of them, giving Tony the perfect opportunity to get rid of Tim's questions for the time being.

-x-

It isn't until later that day, that McGee gets another chance to get an insight into Tony's feelings.

They are just about to pick up a wood worker that is likely to have something to with the murder of the marine in the high school. Tim sneezes, breathing in the sawdust. He has never admitted it before but he hates sawdust. Has been allergic to it since he was a little boy.

"Were you a sickly child? Because I'm betting you were a sickly child," Tony is back as the ever annoying frat boy, happily teasing the weaker ones.

But for now, Tim doesn't care. His mind is already slightly clouded by his allergic reactions and he wants to get out there very badly.

"I need my inhaler."

Tim knows he's whining but he can't help it. He hates that tingly feeling in his nose, the watery eyes. But what comes next nearly makes him forget all of that, makes him forget, why they are even there in the first place.

"I want Ziva back."

Wait. Did he really just say that? How is that a reaction to Tim's physical needs? Does this mean that Tony _needs_ her just like Tim needs his inhaler?

And then it hits him like a lightning. Sure, he has suspected before. Sure, he's had many and long conversations about the matter with Abby before. But Tony has never verbally expressed it. _Never._

But now he has just said it without a hint of a joke, without needling from anybody else. He just said it, even without that 'I guess' that has saved him from spilling his feelings back in Somalia. He just said it, without Tim having to nudge him. He just confessed it. He actually needs her.

Tim doesn't reply anything for now. He's still a little caught off guard and the sawdust gets to him after all. He would just ask him later about it.

-x-

McGee can't wait for Ziva to finally come back but for entirely different reasons than Tony. He can't wait to see Tony's reaction. But when she finally strolls into the bullpen, a big smile on her face, Tony tries to play it cool. And obviously, it is doing the trick. At least for Ziva.

Tim, however, sees right through the masquerade once again. The way he's fidgeting, the way he's talking about how quaint Vermont is (Really, _quaint_? He surely meant 'romantic', didn't he?), speaks volumes.

But Ziva doesn't seem to notice or pretends to not notice. Only as Tony starts to rant about Mr. Miami's actually name – Ray – Tim sees that splinter of jealousy in his eyes again.

"Ray! What a nice little name!"

McGee is just able to hold back a snort. And here we go again, right? Tony is, after all, still a man and therefore it's always about size, isn't it? Of course, he's savoring in the fact that his name – only his freaking _name_ – is one syllable longer than Ray's.

But when Ziva almost promises that her 'friend' is a very good man and locks eyes with Tony, Tim is able to see that his partner is almost desperately trying to be supportive. He gives her a lopsided grin that is slightly off but only McGee notices that fact. What he also notices is that they look into each other's eyes just a second too long.

But then again, when haven't they?

-x-

As they have finally solved the case and Tim is sitting in MTAC, waiting for Dr. Magnus and Ducky, he's able to catch Abby alone for a moment. He can't wait to tell her about Tony's behavior over the last few days. He can't quite put the finger on it but somehow he has the feeling that the Goth is just as interested in the matter as he is…

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**A/N: I would like to know what you think :)**


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